The invention relates to a holding device according to the preamble of patent claim 1 for the accommodation, for example the clamping accommodation, of a telephone unit, in particular of a handset of a car telephone or of a mobile telephone, having two side walls that are arranged at a distance from each other for positioning the telephone unit. The telephone unit is normally positioned between the side walls such that a main face of the telephone unit, that is to say a front or rear face of the telephone unit, comes to lie perpendicular to the side walls. The holding device therefore spreads out relatively far, which is disadvantageous in many cases, in particular when there is only little space available for the accommodation of the holding device, such as, for example, in the region of the central armrest of an automobile. It is then only possible to accommodate a few other things laterally beside the holding device, which often constitutes a deficiency.
The invention is based on the object of providing a holding device of the type cited at the beginning which occupies less space.
The achievement of the object stated is specified in the characterizing part of patent claim 1. Advantageous refinements of the invention are to be taken from the subclaims.
A holding device according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that the distance between the side walls is smaller than the width of the telephone unit, in order to accommodate the telephone unit between them in a first position in which main faces of the telephone unit are situated opposite the side walls, and in order to store the telephone unit in a second position, on longitudinal edges of the side walls, in which the main faces of the telephone unit are situated transversely with respect to the side walls.
As a result of the fact that the width of the holding device is now smaller than that of the telephone unit, it takes up less space, so that even in relatively narrow regions there is the possibility of being able to accommodate still further items of equipment besides the holding device, for example even a second holding device in order to store in the latter a mobile telephone, for example, while the handset of a car telephone is accommodated in the first holding device.
According to an advantageous development of the invention, the distance between the side walls of the holding device corresponds at least approximately to the thickness of the telephone unit. The thickness of the telephone unit is to be understood in this case essentially as that distance which is situated between the front main face and the rear main face of the telephone unit. As a result, the holding device can be designed to be even narrower.
According to a refinement of the invention, it is possible for the side walls of the holding device to run parallel to each other, so that the holding device itself has a straightforward construction and can be produced as straightforwardly as possible. However, the side walls can also be matched in their distance profile to the profile of the main faces of the telephone unit, in order to arrive at a still more compact holding device.
As also emerges from what was said at the beginning, it is possible for the telephone unit, if it is not intended to be used, to be lowered essentially completely in the holding device, the main faces of the telephone unit then being situated essentially opposite the side walls of the holding device. However, the inventive holding device also offers the possibility of storing the telephone unit on the holding device, if circumstances make this appear desirable and the available space does not contradict this. In order to arrive at a compact unit in this case, too, it is advantageous for the contour of the side wall longitudinal edges on which, in the second position, the telephone unit comes to lie with its one main face to be matched to the contour of this one main face.
According to a further refinement of the invention, in one end region of the side walls there is arranged a bracket that is fixed and points in the direction of the other end region of the side walls and projects beyond the side walls in the vertical direction to such an extent that it engages over one end of the telephone unit, which may be in either the first or the second position. By means of this bracket, so to speak, a counterbearing for the telephone unit is formed, against which said telephone unit is pressed more or less intensely when it is situated in or on the holding device. In this case, the end of the telephone unit that is pressed against the bracket is generally its lower end, that is to say the end which, in the case of a mobile telephone, is situated opposite the upper antenna end or the end from which, in the case of a handset for a car telephone, the line connection is led out.
Precisely in relation to the latter case, it is possible for said bracket also to have a central slot through which the cord that is led out of the handset is led when said handset is lying on the holding device.
In accordance with the invention, at least one latching tab that points toward said one end is arranged on said other end region of the side walls, for example on a pivotable end wall, and engages in an appropriate recess on that end of the telephone unit that is situated opposite it in order to fix the telephone unit to the holding device. In this case, in order to fix the telephone unit to the holding device, either in the first or in the second position, only a single latching tab can be used, this tab engaging in an appropriately positioned recess on that end of the telephone unit that is situated opposite it. However, it is also possible, given a different shape of the recess, to use two latching tabs that are located one above the other at a distance, both being arranged, for example, on said pivotable end wall. This would be conceivable in a case in which the recess is of elongate construction at the end of the telephone unit and is situated with its longitudinal direction parallel to one of the main faces of the telephone unit.
According to a very advantageous further development of the invention, a carrier which is intended for the telephone unit and which is pivotable and is pressed outward by a pressing force is arranged between the side walls. This carrier is, for example, continually pressed outward by a spring, it being possible for the pivoting movement of the carrier to be controlled or damped by a damping device. The carrier is used, for example, to lift the telephone unit upward from the side walls after it has been released by the latching tab. In this position of the carrier, the telephone unit may remain on it, in order to be able to grip it better when required. Expediently, the telephone unit should then at least continue to be guided on the moved-out carrier via guide elements, in order to prevent it falling out. The guide elements may be provided permanently on that main face of the telephone unit which is situated opposite the carrier, in order to co-operate with the carrier for holding purposes.
In a refinement of the invention, the carrier may have two carrier side walls which are situated at a distance from each other, this distance being selected such that it corresponds at least approximately to the thickness of the telephone unit in the region of the carrier.
The carrier thus acquires several functions. On the one hand, it does not prevent the telephone unit being inserted into the holding device when the telephone unit is in the first position. On the other hand, the carrier enables the telephone unit to be lifted from the holding device after said latching tab has been moved out of the end recess in the telephone unit. Thirdly, the carrier enables a positioning of the telephone unit in a position in which it is pivoted away from the holding device, in order to enable better access to the telephone unit.
In order to ensure a positioning of the telephone unit on the carrier in which said unit is pivoted away from the holding device, the distance of the carrier side walls from each other may be selected such that the engagement of guides that are arranged on a main face of the telephone unit is possible when the telephone unit is placed onto the carrier by way of this main face. The guides then nestle against the inner sides of the carrier side walls and thus prevent the telephone unit falling out of the carrier, specifically even when the carrier or the holding device is subjected to severe vibrations, since use can be made of a clamping action between the guides and the carrier side walls.
It is preferable if the contour of the carrier that points toward the telephone unit is selected such that, when the carrier is pivoted in, this contour is brought into coincidence, at least in some areas, with the contour of the side wall longitudinal edges, or does not project beyond this contour. This ensures that even when a carrier is used, the holding device and the telephone unit placed on it always form a compact unit.
In this case, the carrier may for example extend into internal recesses in the side walls, so that the distance of the carrier side walls from each other can correspond to the distance of the side walls of the holding device from each other.
In addition, the edges in the side walls which are obtained as a result of the internal recesses can then be used as a stop for the carrier when the latter is pivoted out by the pressing force, as a result of which the pivoting range of the carrier may be set in a straightforward manner.
The holding device may be mounted on a support by way of its individual parts, but is preferably also constructed as a separate structural unit with a base, in order to simplify the installation. In this case, a barrier, for example a flap that can be pivoted about a pivot, that can pivot freely and reaches the base with its free end may be arranged on that bottom end of the carrier which points toward the pivotable end wall, in order to prevent articles inadvertently getting under the carrier.
In principle, the holding device can be installed such that the base is situated virtually horizontally and the side walls vertically, or such that the base is situated vertically and the side walls horizontally. However, it is also possible to align the base and side walls vertically, for example in the case in which the telephone unit is intended to be held upright, for example on a wall.